FDLE Agents arrest 12 in copper cable theft ring
November 3, 2015
MIAMI – Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested 12 suspects accused of stealing more than $500,000 in underground copper cable from South Florida to Central Florida. The Miami-Dade, City of Miami, Sunrise and Daytona Beach Police Departments, along with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
The investigation began in October 2014 after a request from Florida Power and Light regarding the theft and destruction of underground electric and fiber optic cables. While most of the thefts occurred in Miami-Dade, thefts also happened in Broward and Volusia Counties.
FDLE Miami Special Agent in Charge Troy Walker said, “These thefts posed a substantial threat to the community by making critical electric and communications infrastructure vulnerable to failure with at least one theft damaging adjacent fiber optic cables carrying 911 communications.”
“These thieves aimed to put dollars in their pockets by severing those lines of electrical power that keep the pulse of our community beating,” said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “They aimed to cut the security of Miami, Miami Beach and all of Miami-Dade County. This joint partnership between my prosecutors, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Florida Power and Light Company security would not let that happen. I am very proud of these final investigative results.”
After stealing the copper cable, the suspects sold the copper to metal recycling facilities across Miami-Dade.
All suspects were booked into Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Facility in Miami-Dade County.
Giovany Rodolfo Regidor, 36, 13842 SW 27 Terrace, Miami
Charges – RICO, organized scheme to defraud, copper wire theft, grand theft, burglary to an unoccupied structure, attempted burglary to an unoccupied structure, dealing in stolen property, and possession of burglary tools.
Carlos H. Aragon, 33, 3071 NW 27th Street, Miami
Charges – RICO, theft of cooper wire, organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, burglary to an unoccupied structure, dealing in stolen property, attempted burglary to an unoccupied structure, and possession of burglary tools.
Renier Rolando Ulloa-Castillo, 42, 15231 SW 80th Street, Miami
Charges – RICO, organized scheme to defraud, theft of copper wire, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, burglary to an unoccupied structure, and attempted burglary to an unoccupied structure.
Yoandys Jose Diaz Zamora, 39, 18840 SW 308 St. Homestead, Fla.
Charges – RICO, organized scheme to defraud, theft of copper wire, grand theft, burglary to an unoccupied structure, dealing in stolen property and possession of burglary tools.
Leonardo Perez, 59, 15420 SW 305 St. Homestead, Fla.
Charges – RICO, organized scheme to defraud, theft of copper wire, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, burglary to an unoccupied structure, and possession of burglary tools.
Pedro Omar Alfonso, 44, 10597 SW 182 St., Miami
Charges – RICO, organized scheme to defraud, theft of copper wire, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, burglary to an unoccupied structure, and possession of burglary tools.
Ubaldo Medina Sr., 46, 11009 W. Okeechobee Road, Hialeah Gardens, Fla.
Charges – Theft of copper wire, grand theft, and dealing in stolen property.
Marion Mauricio Lezama, 42, 480 NW 129th St., North Miami, Fla.
Charges – Theft of copper wire, burglary to an unoccupied structure, attempted burglary to an unoccupied structure, and possession of burglary tools.
Ramon Herrara, 59, 631 E. 17th St., Hialeah, Fla.
Charges – Theft of copper wire and grand theft.
Joan Barrios Cruz, 49, 8304 NW 103rd St., Miami
Charges – RICO, theft of copper wire, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, and money laundering.
Yandy Cruz, 24, 18502 NW 42 Court, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Charges – Burglary to an unoccupied structure, attempted burglary to an unoccupied structure, and possession of burglary tools.
Iraldo Leon, 49, 8304 NW 103rd St., Miami
Charges – RICO, theft of copper wire, grand theft, and dealing in stolen property.
The case will be prosecuted by the office of State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
For further information:
FDLE Press Office
Gretl Plessinger, Molly Best, or Steve Arthur
(850) 410-7001